Seeker Knowledge
Project
Foundry & Casting
Completed capability / recurring use
Casting parts for Seeker and other projects, including furnaces, burners, patterns, molds, aluminum and bronze casting, lost-foam and lost-wax work, machining, and lessons from failed castings.
Featured video
Step by Step Aluminum Casting with Sodium Silicate Sand
Published 2016-01-05
Start here for the Foundry & Casting story.
Starts at 25:54
Videos
Videos follow the project timeline. When Part 1 of a series is reached, the complete series stays together before the timeline resumes.
Components & concepts
- casting furnace Equipment
- metal casting furnace Equipment
- Propeller Mechanical System
Principles demonstrated
Evidence sources
Sources are ordered by their role and reliability, not by volume.
Journey
- Journey links will be added as the history is reviewed.
Sources and discussion
Primary evidence appears first. Community discussion follows. Outside forums are commentary and may include speculation or inaccuracies.
Primary evidence
Videos
Videos, transcripts, website material, and Doug-authored project posts.
113 additional references are indexed for search.
Primary evidence
Transcripts
Videos, transcripts, website material, and Doug-authored project posts.
Boat City Prop Shop
us a tour of the propellers used to have
Boat City Prop Shop
blackwill takes the propellers around in
Boat City Prop Shop
five mercury propellers that's an old
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 3
propellers but you know I tried putting
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 5 - The Success
or all the good advice on the casting
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 5 - The Success
Super Dave Our Adviser on Casting we are
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 6 - Casting Lessons Learned
got all six of our propeller blades cast
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 6 - Casting Lessons Learned
casting cause we're going to be doing it
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 8 - Machining the Groove
working on a propeller blades you don't
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 8 - Machining the Groove
controllable pitch propeller system and
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 8 - Machining the Groove
Tulsa which does casting of Michael he's
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 8 - Machining the Groove
propeller or proper variable pitch
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 8 - Machining the Groove
propeller you're going to get my to you
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 9 - Machining and Balancing
a propeller and what does the repeller
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 9 - Machining and Balancing
metal propellers is the bullets are
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 9 - Machining and Balancing
wooden propeller is going to break it
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 9 - Machining and Balancing
propeller we're going to use the metal
DIY Boat Propeller - Part 9 - Machining and Balancing
propeller system in the courtyard and
DIY Boat Propeller Part 1
and most of the propeller books and
DIY Metal Casting Furnace - Part 1
that you're casting you know if you're
Anchor Winch Rebuild - Part 7 - Lost Wax Casting - Failure
up and warm the rest of the casting so
Anchor Winch Rebuild - Part 7 - Lost Wax Casting - Failure
sunny day and we're doing some casting.
Skeg and Rudder - Part 3 - Propeller Shroud
on the side of the propeller tube.
CNC Pattern Making and Sodium Silicate Sand Casting Bronze
casting. And that's what they were
CNC Pattern Making and Sodium Silicate Sand Casting Bronze
Now what you see people casting with
191 additional references are indexed for search.
Community discussion
Facebook discussion
Questions and discussion from the Seeker community. Useful context, but not automatically verified engineering evidence.
Facebook reply
David Jackson It delivers oil to vearable pitch control propeller system. That thing is designed to leak oil. So what doesn’t flow through that goes through the pressure relief valve.
Facebook reply
...ove some. But the textbook seems to want all three pieces: transmission, gearbox, and propeller shaft to all have their axis parallel.  I think it’s pretty close, but certainly not perfect.
Facebook reply
...that idea because it will also help keep the nets from accidentally getting into the propeller when they are not on.
Facebook reply
Wil Kinsey Actually there is a grease fitting to fill the prop shaft and propeller hub. That I keep full, but it does not move the pitch. That is done by the internal shaft moving fore and aft.
Facebook comment
Seen them on boats in Vietnam, the propeller is linked to the engine through a simple clutch, the pitch of the blades does all the forward and reversing. I originally thought that is what Seeker was going to be like, never understood the transmission in the mi...
Facebook comment
It's not even necessarily that much less efficient depending on the propeller shape. It doesn't look a whole lot different than just mounting the propeller the wrong way around
Facebook reply
...ne the anchor is down. Could be we snagged a piece of line between the rudder and the propeller shroud.
Facebook reply
...e. There is only a 1/4” between the front edge of the rudder and the back edge of the propeller shroud. And it seems to be back to normal now.
Facebook reply
...fine today so I’m starting to think that something jammed between the rudder and the propeller shroud and then fell out when I put the rudder over hard.
Facebook comment
...ension to dangerous levels, risking a snapped tow cable or jammed retrieval machinery.Propeller Safety: By shredding or deflecting weeds away from the stern, it minimizes the risk of the debris sliding forward into the main propulsion screw.How It worksThe Arr...
Commentary
Sailing Anarchy
Public commentary and opinion. It may include speculation, errors, or incomplete information and should not be treated as verified technical evidence.
Sailing Anarchy post #1318 page 66
...inal inventor of the Hundested VP prop must be rolling over in his grave... HUNDESTED PROPELLER A/S** HUNDESTED, DENMARK Hundested Propeller is a Danish company based on the island of Zealand, not far from the Danish capital of Copenhagen. Founded in 1921, it...
Sailing Anarchy post #1642 page 83
In the propeller airplane world, I recall the rule of thumb as: the outer 10% of the diameter doing 50% of the work -OR- the outer 50% of the diameter doing 90% of the work. But ya, tips are important. I would GUESS that Doug's "nozzle" has changed the "cordwi...
Sailing Anarchy post #3484 page 175
...15kW solar, 250kWh electric storage (is the ballast), retractable rudder, retractable propeller, hull ice reinforced to such an extent that it can survive full ice pressure in open (ant)arctic ocean, 50 ton cargo capacity, 2 year autonomy, diesel electric prop...
Sailing Anarchy post #3490 page 175
...15kW solar, 250kWh electric storage (is the ballast), retractable rudder, retractable propeller, hull ice reinforced to such an extent that it can survive full ice pressure in open (ant)arctic ocean, 50 ton cargo capacity, 2 year autonomy, diesel electric prop...
Sailing Anarchy post #3495 page 175
...15kW solar, 250kWh electric storage (is the ballast), retractable rudder, retractable propeller, hull ice reinforced to such an extent that it can survive full ice pressure in open (ant)arctic ocean, 50 ton cargo capacity, 2 year autonomy, diesel electric prop...
Sailing Anarchy post #3496 page 175
...15kW solar, 250kWh electric storage (is the ballast), retractable rudder, retractable propeller, hull ice reinforced to such an extent that it can survive full ice pressure in open (ant)arctic ocean, 50 ton cargo capacity, 2 year autonomy, diesel electric prop...
Sailing Anarchy post #4392 page 220
G/V Seeker's prop is totally propeller shaped. Doug even read books, consulted charts and did maths. Doug has upgraded the Hundested with custom pitch clamps and upgraded the bolts to American thread standards. Seeker prop has proven itself down the mighty Mis...
Sailing Anarchy post #4406 page 221
It is my understanding Dugg actually did a surprisingly good job casting the propeller blades. I have not watched most of his videos and am not totally up to snuff. Someone please correct me if I am mistaken. He did fuck up trying to fashion a Kort Nozzle with...
Sailing Anarchy post #4465 page 224
...amusing that Dugg, with his unproven BSO, somehow considered the need for a Hundested propeller a worthwhile thing to do. After all, this is a "sailing vessel", not a motor vessel. A well designed motor vessel and an owner wishing to fine tune to the nth degre...
Sailing Anarchy post #4526 page 227
...dder 1000 TX Allison 545 267 Cummins 5.9 6BT 975 Hundestadt 50 est Prop shaft 150 est Propeller 200 est Vmac 45cfm, 8kw, 8gpm 575 Scuba compressor 275 Main Mast +sails 2000 Captain est. 2 other mast + sails 2000 Captain est. Batteries 1000 est Fuel diesel 8400...
Sailing Anarchy post #4531 page 227
...dder 1000 TX Allison 545 267 Cummins 5.9 6BT 975 Hundestadt 50 est Prop shaft 150 est Propeller 200 est Vmac 45cfm, 8kw, 8gpm 575 Scuba compressor 275 Main Mast +sails 2000 Captain est. 2 other mast + sails 2000 Captain est. Batteries 1000 est Fuel diesel 8400...
Sailing Anarchy post #5275 page 264
now wait a goddamn minute. I thought he had a variable propeller? Why not just flatten the damn thing out?
Sailing Anarchy post #5276 page 264
Stop making sense! now wait a goddamn minute. I thought he had a variable propeller? Why not just flatten the damn thing out?
Sailing Anarchy post #5277 page 264
...ensure permanent obsolescence. now wait a goddamn minute. I thought he had a variable propeller? Why not just flatten the damn thing out?
Sailing Anarchy post #5279 page 264
...o learn. From his own mistakes now wait a goddamn minute. I thought he had a variable propeller? Why not just flatten the damn thing out?
Sailing Anarchy post #5280 page 264
...stom prop blades strike again. now wait a goddamn minute. I thought he had a variable propeller? Why not just flatten the damn thing out?
Sailing Anarchy post #5290 page 265
...work with standard fixed props. (??) Seems Dug is stuck with his bodged Hundested and propeller until he can get somewhere to pull out to replace the prop-shaft. He can't get a place that will pull Seeker out because all his propulsion systems are dysfunctiona...
Sailing Anarchy post #5291 page 265
...work with standard fixed props. (??) Seems Dug is stuck with his bodged Hundested and propeller until he can get somewhere to pull out to replace the prop-shaft. He can't get a place that will pull Seeker out because all his propulsion systems are dysfunctiona...
Sailing Anarchy post #5419 page 271
...by that I mean adding weight to the soles to the two bilge keels Having an over sized propeller for the engine seems silly, are there not books that deal with all that? I am sure I read there is a formula,,, David Gerr(?) I am sure wrote something about this....
Sailing Anarchy post #5527 page 277
...blems by installing a Dyno made from 55 Gallon drums coupled to the transfer case and propeller. He will just need to beef up the masts to be able to crane the truck onto the foredeck from the quay.
Sailing Anarchy post #6118 page 306
"It's actually good news" that my propeller is hitting a fixed part of the boat and going thump, thump, thump. He must have been in marketing. But like every failure, that'll "actually be a good thing" for some reason.
Sailing Anarchy post #6137 page 307
...t it always seals perfectly around his prop shroud. "It's actually good news" that my propeller is hitting a fixed part of the boat and going thump, thump, thump. He must have been in marketing.
Sailing Anarchy post #6143 page 308
...face .. I going to be getting nightmares tonight 😭 "It's actually good news" that my propeller is hitting a fixed part of the boat and going thump, thump, thump. He must have been in marketing. View attachment 582981
Sailing Anarchy post #6250 page 313
...nother option would be to indeed remove the shroud but to cut a whole slew of various propeller shapes and radically improve,while adding to, the vast fountain of propeller technology knowledge already in known. He has already made the claim about propellers b...
Sailing Anarchy post #6251 page 313
...has this fantasy of somehow setting up his drive train to allow him to disengage the propeller shaft from the engine and re-engage it to a generator thus using his propeller to generate free electricity while sailing and the prop free-wheeling. Sounds like a...
37 additional references are indexed for search.